July 2020

 

Bees pollinating the runner beans

Here we are middle of July and the pubs hotels and restaurants are all starting to open up, or at least those that think they can. This has meant that cheese sales are starting to move, and we are now starting to use more milk, and at this time of the year we are using all our milk with the exception of the Saturday and Sunday milk.
We have all just learnt that Medina who purchase our surplus milk are to close the plant at Soberton near Wickham, and the plant is to be sold. This, if it fails to find a buyer and ends up being taken out of production is a huge loss to Hampshire farmers. Medina and Tomlinson’s in North Wales were both involved with contracts with Sainsbury’s for three years. Tomlinson’s have found themselves in the hands of the receivers, and Medina have found themselves in serious financial difficulties, to the point where we are not being paid for our milk on time and they have to sell their site. Sadly there is a common thread here and its not C19.
That was the bad news, the good news is that we have been harvesting good quality crops of organic vegetables, broad beans all done and sold. Courgettes looking good, green beans have been in for a couple of weeks, and runners started end of last week, see pictures. If you want a great box of organic veg try either Riverford or Abel & Cole, the weather has been a big help, neither too hot or too wet.